Tin monochelate catalysis of organopolysiloxane compositions

ABSTRACT

Organopolysiloxane compositions curable into elastomeric state, whether in single- or two-component form, comprise an α, ω-dihydroxypolydiorganopolysiloxane oil, a crosslinking agent therefor, optionally, inorganic fillers and an adhesion promoter, and a catalytically effective amount of a pentacoordinated tin monochelate produced by reacting a tin bischelate with an organic carboxylic acid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to novel curable polyorganosiloxane compositions and, more especially, to such novel polyorganosiloxane compositions containing a catalytically effective amount of a tin monochelate crosslinking catalyst produced by reacting a tin bischelate with an organic carboxylic acid.

2. Description of the Prior Art:

Many tin compounds have heretofore been proposed to this art as a catalyst for crosslinking polyorganosiloxane compositions and, in particular, RTV compositions (room temperature vulcanizable compositions), whether in a single pack of in two packs, otherwise known as single- or two-component compositions.

The most widely used compounds are tin carboxylates such as tributyltin monooleate, tin 2-ethylhexanoate or dialkyltin dicarboxylates such as dibutyltin dilaurate and dibutyltin diacetate (see Noll, Chemistry and Technology of Silicones, page 337, Academic Press, 1968--2nd edition).

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,186,963, such a tin catalyst is described which is the reaction product of a dialkyldialkoxysilane with a tin carboxylate.

In Belgian Patent No. 842,305, the catalyst is the reaction product of an alkyl silicate or of an alkyltrialkoxysilane with dibutyltin diacetate.

And in U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,467, a catalyst system is described which is a mixture of certain tin salts with a specific titanium chelate, in a single-component composition.

Lastly, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,517,337 and 4,554,310 the use of diorganotin bis(β-diketone) is described for the crosslinking of neutral single-component compositions (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,517,337 and 4,554,310) or for single- and two-component compositions (EP-A-147,323).

Although EP-A-147,323 represents a significant advance in the quest for a tin catalyst useful for both single- and two-component compositions, it has become apparent that diorganotin bis(β-diketonates) exhibit a core setting time which is a little too slow, particularly in the case of the two-component compositions.

The problem which typically arises in the case of the single-component compositions is essentially that of storage stability and of the retention of physicochemical properties (extrudability, pourability, setting time) of the composition and maintaining these properties by the reticulate (mechanical properties, hardness, elongation, tear strength, adhesiveness, and the like).

Thus, need exists in this art for a catalyst which crosslinks very rapidly on exposure to atmospheric moisture, not only on the surface thereof, but which at the same time provides a thorough crosslinking uniformly therethrough which is as complete as possible, and which is also active in minor amounts, while reducing to the minimum the reticulate degradation reactions which are inherent in the presence of tin.

With regard to the three-dimensional shaped article or reticulate thus obtained, the same problems as exist in the case of the single-component compositions also exist in the case of the two-component compositions, but, in addition, the exposure or open time (that is to say, the time during which the composition may be employed after mixing without hardening) must be sufficiently long to permit its effective use, but sufficiently short to produce a molded object capable of being handled not later than 24 hours after the production thereof.

This catalyst must therefore provide a good compromise between the open time of the catalyzed mixture and the time after which the molded object can be handled. In addition, the catalyst must impart to the catalyzed mixture a spreading time which does not vary as a function of the storage period.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, a major object of the present invention is the provision of an improved catalyst system adapted for the crosslinking of both the single- and two-component elastomer compositions.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved catalyst system which simultaneously meets the storage, use and crosslinking constraints common to both types of elastomer compositions, while addressing the specific problems presented by each, without, however, initiating detrimental secondary effects in either case.

Briefly, the present invention features improved organopolysiloxane compositions comprising, on the one hand, a silicone base polymer capable of being cured into an elastomer by a polycondensation reaction beginning at ambient temperature and, on the other hand, a catalytically effective amount of the product of reaction between (a) a diorganotin bischelate of the formula: ##STR1## in which: the symbols R₁ and R₂, which may be identical or different, are each an optionally substituted, monovalent C₁ -C₁₈ hydrocarbon radical;

the symbols R₃ and R₅, which may be identical or different, are each one of the radicals R₁ or R₂, a hydrogen atom, a C₁ -C₅ alkoxy radical or an Si(R₁)₃ silyl radical;

the symbol R₄ is a hydrogen atom, or an optionally halogenated C₁ -C₈ hydrocarbon radical, with the proviso that R₄ and R₅ may together form, with the carbon atoms from which they depend, a divalent C₅ -C₁₂ cyclic hydrocarbon radical, or an optionally substituted such cyclic radical bearing at least one chloro, nitro and/or cyano substituent, with (b) an organic acid of the formula:

    XH                                                         (2)

in which X is a radical of the formula R₆ COO wherein R₆ has the same definition as R₁.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

More particularly according to the present invention, the diorganotin bischelates of the formula (1) are known to this art and are described in the chemical literature.

Various methods for the preparation thereof are described, in particular, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,055,845 and 4,517,337 and in European Patent Application EP-A-147,323, in the publication, Metal β-diketonates and Allied Derivatives, by R. C. Mehrotra, R. Bohra and D. P. Gaur, published in 1978 by Academic Press, and in the publication, The Chemistry of Organotin Compounds, by R. C. Poller, published in 1970, also by Academic Press.

Exemplary such derivatives are those of the formulae: ##STR2##

Exemplary of the carboxylic acids of formula (2), representative are:

(i) saturated carboxylic acids such as formic, acetic, propionic, butyric, isobutyric, valeric, isovaleric, pivalic, lauric, 2-ethylhexanoic, myristic, palmitic and stearic acids and versatic® acids which are mixtures of saturated tertiary monocarboxylic acids containing, overall, the same number of carbon atoms, which generally ranges from 8 to 12;

(ii) unsaturated carboxylic acids such as acrylic, propiolic (CH.tbd.C-COOH), methacrylic, crotonic, isocrotonic, oleic and maleic acids;

(iii) aromatic carboxylic acids such as benzoic, phthalic, isophthalic and terephthalic acids;

(iv) organic dicarboxylic acids.

The reaction of the bischelate of formula (1), which may be designated by the simplified formula R₁ R₂ SnC₂ (CH being the simplified formula of the organic chelating ligand), with the acid XH of formula (2), may be carried out in bulk, beginning at ambient temperature, by merely incorporating (mixing) one of the compounds in the other. The mixture is stirred for at least a few minutes in order to homogenize the liquid mass. Slight heating (for example up to 80° C.) may be applied to accelerate the reaction. The above process is used when both starting materials are liquid.

In the case of two starting materials, one of which is solid and the other liquid, it may be necessary to heat slightly to about 40°-80° C. to dissolve the solid material.

In the case of two solid materials, the mixture must be heated at least to the melting temperature of one of the two starting materials.

The reaction may also be carried out in an inert organic solvent.

The starting materials are preferably employed in a molar ratio (1)/(2) equal or close to 1, preferably ranging from 0.5 to 3. Molar ratios ranging from 0.01 to 100 can, nevertheless, also be employed.

It has been demonstrated that the reaction described above results in the formation of a monochelate of pentacoordinated tin of valency IV, referred to hereinafter as the tin monochelate, having the formula: ##STR3## or, more simply, having the abbreviated formula R₁ R₂ SnCX, in which the symbols X, R₁, R₂, R₃, R₄ and R₅ are as defined above.

The monochelates of the above formula (3) may be identified by the analytical techniques of NMR spectroscopy (¹¹⁹ Sn, ¹³ C and ¹ H nuclear magnetic resonance), by mass spectroscopy, and by measurement of the Mossbauer effect.

It has been found, however, that in the present state of the art of analytical techniques, the ¹¹⁹ Sn NMR analytical method such as described, in particular, in the article by Peter J. Smith, Chemical Shifts of ¹¹⁹ Sn Nuclei in Organotin Compounds, page 291 et seq, published in the Annual Reports on NMR Spectroscopy, volume 8, 1978, Academic Press, is a method which is by itself sufficiently accurate to characterize the various tin compounds present within a mixture, particularly within a reaction mixture, and to make it possible to determine the chemical formulae of most of these compounds.

The fundamental parameter evaluated by ¹¹⁹ Sn NMR is the value of the chemical shift, expressed in parts per million (ppm) relative to a reference (generally tetramethyltin).

The value of the chemical shift is particularly sensitive to the electronegativity of the groups carried by the tin and to the change in the coordination number of the tin atom. Specific studies of characterization of organostannic derivatives using ¹¹⁹ Sn NMR are described in particular by A. G. Davies and P. J. Smith, Comprehensive Organo-metallic Chemistry, 11 Tin, pages 523 to 529 and by J. Otera, J. of Organomet. Chem., 221, pages 57-61 (1981).

Analysis of the reaction mixtures obtained according to the process of the present invention has made it possible to demonstrate the production of the monochelate product R₁ R₂ SnCX of formula (3) within a reaction mixture free from the tin oxide of the formula R₁ R₂ SnO, of the bischelate R₁ R₂ SnC₂ of the formula (1) and, in most cases, of the distannoxane XR₁ R₂ SnOSnR₁ R₂ X.

The tin compound other than the product of formula (3) present in the equilibrium reaction mixture is principally the diorganotin dicarboxylate of the formula R₁ R₂ SnX₂ and, sometimes, the distannoxane of formula R₁ R₂ SnOSnR₁ R₂ X.

When a molar ratio of starting materials (1)/(2) which is higher than approximately 1.5 is employed, the concentrations of the constituents of the reaction mixture in molar %, calculated in gram-atoms of tin metal are, in principle,

    ______________________________________                                                R.sub.1 R.sub.2 SnCX                                                                        15 to 90                                                          R.sub.1 R.sub.2 SnX.sub.2                                                                   85 to 5                                                           XR.sub.1 R.sub.2 SnOSnR.sub.1 R.sub.2 X                                                      0 to 5.                                                   ______________________________________                                    

When a molar ratio of starting materials (1)/(2) equal to or lower than approximately 1 is employed, then significant quantities (up to approximately 60 mol %) of R₁ R₂ SnX₂ appear, at the expense of R₁ R₂ SnCX and R₁ R₂ SnC₂.

In the above formulae, the symbols R₁ and R₂, which may be identical or different, denote optionally substituted monovalent C₁ -C₁₈ hydrocarbon radicals.

More especially, these organic radicals include:

(i) C₁ -C₁₈ alkyl radicals, halogenated or otherwise, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, secondary butyl, tert-butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, 2-ethylhexyl, octyl, decyl, dodecyl, octadecyl, chloromethyl and 2,5-dichloroethyl radicals;

(ii) C₂ -C₁₈ alkenyl radicals, halogenated or otherwise, such as vinyl, allyl, methallyl, 2-butenyl, 2-pentenyl, 3-octenyl, 5-fluoro-2-pentenyl and pentadecenyl radicals;

(iii) C₄ -C₁₀ cycloalkyl radicals, halogenated or otherwise, such as cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, methylcyclohexyl, cyclooctyl, 3,4-dichlorocyclohexyl and 2,6-dibromocycloheptyl radicals;

(iv) C₆ -C₁₅ mononuclear aryl radicals, halogenated or otherwise, such as phenyl, tolyl, xylyl, cumenyl, chlorophenyl, dichlorophenyl, trichlorophenyl, difluorophenyl and trifluoromethylphenyl radicals;

(v) C₇ -C₁₅ mononuclear arylalkyl radicals, halogenated or otherwise, such as phenylmethyl, phenylethyl, phenylpropyl and trifluoromethylphenylethyl radicals.

The symbols R₃ and R₅, which may be identical or different, have the same definitions as R₁ and R₂, namely, optionally substituted, monovalent C₁ -C₁₈ hydrocarbon radicals, and may additionally denote hydrogen atoms, cyanoalkyl radicals containing a C₂ -C₄ alkyl moiety, C₁ -C₅ alkoxy radicals or --Si(R₁₃ silyl) radicals.

Cyanoethyl, cyanopropyl and cyanobutyl radicals are exemplary of the cyanoalkyl radicals, and ethoxy and propoxy radicals are exemplary of the alkoxy radicals.

The symbols R₄ denotes the hydrogen atom, or an optionally halogenated C₁ -C₈ hydrocarbon radical.

More especially, this radical includes alkyl radicals, halogenated or otherwise, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, hexyl and octyl radicals and mononuclear aryl radicals, halogenated or otherwise, such as phenyl, tolyl, chlorophenyl and dichlorophenyl radicals.

In addition, on coupling with R₅, R₄ forms with R₅ a divalent cyclic C₅ -C₁₂ hydrocarbon radical, substituted or otherwise by chloro, nitro or cyano groups.

Representative such ring members are those of the formulae: ##STR4##

The symbol X is a halogen (chlorine, bromine, iodine, fluorine) atom or a monocarboxylate radical of the formula R₆ COO in which the symbol R₆ has the same definition as the symbol R₁ above, and preferably denotes a linear or branched chain C₁ -C₁₈ alkyl radical.

Unless otherwise indicated, all percentages and parts given herein are by weight.

The monochelate of formula (3) or the equilibrium reaction mixture, referred to hereinafter as the tin catalyst according to the invention, is stable in storage in a closed container, at ambient temperature.

It is used to permit or facilitate the curing of the organopolysiloxane base to a silicone elastomer, beginning at ambient temperature.

These bases, which cure (crosslink) by polycondensation reactions, are well known to this art. After having been catalyzed, in most cases by means of a metallic derivative of a carboxylic acid, they are utilized for the manufacture of seals, of water-repellent coatings, of molds, of coating materials, for the adhesive bonding and the assembly of the widest variety of materials, for coating organic and inorganic fibers, and the like.

These bases are described in detail, in particular, in many patents and they are available commercially.

These silicone bases may be single-component, that is to say, packaged in a single pack that is stable in storage in the absence of moisture and capable of being cured in the presence of moisture, in particular of moisture contributed by the surrounding air or by the water generated within the base when it is used.

These single-component bases are generally of three types, as described in further detail below, and are catalyzed by the incorporation of a catalytically effective amount of the monochelate of formula (3) or of the equilibrium reaction mixture. This catalytically effective amount is on the order of 0.0001 to 5 parts, preferably from 0.01 to 3 parts per 100 parts of the single-component base.

Other than the single-component bases, it is also possible to employ two-component bases, that is to say, those packaged in two packs, which cure as soon as the tin catalyst is incorporated. They are packaged in two separate fractions, it being possible for one of the fractions, for example, to contain only the tin catalyst or the mixture of the catalyst with the crosslinking agent.

The catalytically effective amount of tin catalyst is on the order of 0.01 to 10 parts, preferably from 0.1 to 5 parts per 100 parts of the two-component base.

As already indicated above, single-component and two-component silicone bases which cure (crosslink) via polycondensation reactions are described in detail in the literature and are available commercially.

These bases are generally prepared from the following constituents:

(A) 100 parts of an α, ω-dihydroxypolydiorganosiloxane polymer, having a viscosity of 500 to 1,000,000 mPa.s at 25° C., comprising recurring units of the formula (R₂)SiO where the symbols R, which may be identical or different, are hydrocarbon radicals containing from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, optionally substituted by halogen atoms or cyano groups;

(B) 0.5 to 20 parts of a crosslinking agent selected from among organosilicon compounds containing more than two hydrolyzable groups bonded to silicon atoms, per molecule;

(C) 0 to 250 parts of inorganic fillers; and

(D) 0 to 20 parts of an adhesion promoter.

The radical R is typically methyl, ethyl, propyl, phenyl, vinyl or a 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl radical, at least 80% of the groups R being methyl.

A first type of single-component formula results from mixing the polymer A with a crosslinking agent B, which is advantageously a silane of the formula:

    R.sub.a Si(Z).sub.4-a                                      (4)

in which R is as defined above for the polymer A, and Z is a hydrolyzable group advantageously selected from among N-substituted amino, N-substituted amido, N,N-disubstituted aminoxy, ketiminoxy, aldiminoxy, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyleneoxy, enoxy and acyloxy groups, and a denotes 0 or 1.

Single-component bases of this type are described in detail, particularly in European Patent Applications EP-A-141,685 and EP-A-147,323, hereby incorporated by reference.

The most widely used compositions are those in which Z is an acyloxy and ketiminoxy group, which are described in greater detail in European Patent Application EP-A-102,268, also hereby incorporated by reference.

Two-component flowing compositions, in which Z is an acyloxy group, and whose crosslinking is accelerated by the addition of an alkaline earth metal hydroxide or phosphate are described in European Patent Applications EP-A-118,325 and EP-A-117,772, also hereby incorporated by reference.

In a second type of single-component base, the starting point is not a mixture of A and B but the product A₁ of reaction of A with B. In general, the hydrolyzable group is an alkoxy group and the composition additionally contains from 0 to 15 parts of crosslinking agent B per 100 parts of functionalized polymer A₁.

The reaction of A with B can be carried out in the presence of various catalysts such as an organic amine (U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,901), an organic titanium derivative (U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,890), a carbamate (European Patent Application EP-A-210,402) and an N,N-disubstituted hydroxylamine (European Patent Application EP-A-70,786).

To these single-component bases there may be added adhesion promoters D, selected from among organosilicon compounds simultaneously bearing, on the one hand, organic groups substituted by radicals selected from among amino, ureido, isocyanate, epoxy, alkenyl, isocyanurate, hydantoyl, guanidino and mercaptoester radicals and, on the other hand, hydrolyzable groups, generally alkoxy groups, bonded to the silicon atoms. Examples of such adhesion promoters are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,517,001, 4,115,356, 4,180,642, 4,273,698 and 4,356,116 and in European Patent Applications EP-A-31,996 and EP-A-74-001.

A third type of single-component bases are those prepared by mixing 100 parts of polymer A, from 0.5 to 20 parts of crosslinking agent B which is a polyalkoxysilane (formula 4), Z=alkoxy or alkoxyalkyleneoxy, from 0 to 250 parts of inorganic fillers and from 0.5 to 15 parts of a compound D₁ selected from among:

(i) D_(1-a) : a primary organic amine having a pKb of less than 5 in aqueous medium, an aminoorganosilane and an aminoorganopolysiloxane bearing at least one C₁ -C₁₅ organic group linked by a Si--C bond to the silicon atom per molecule, and substituted by at least one amino radical at least one C₁ -C₅ alkoxy or C₃ -C₆ alkoxyalkyleneoxy radical; and

(ii) D_(1-b) : an organic titanium or zirconium derivative bearing an organoxy and/or β-diketonato group.

Single-component bases comprising D_(1-a) are described in European Patent Application EP-A-21,859, and those comprising D_(1-b) are described in French Patents Nos. FR-A-2,121,289 and FR-A-2,121,631, also hereby incorporated by reference.

The two-component bases are formed by mixing:

(a) 100 parts of polymer (A);

(b) 1 to 20 parts of a crosslinking agent selected from among a silane of formula (4) above, and the products of partial hydrolysis of the silane of formula (4);

(c) 0 to 150 parts of inorganic fillers; and

(d) 0 to 20 parts of an adhesion promoter.

These compositions are well known to this art; in particular, they are described in European Patent Applications EP-A-10,478, EP-A-50,358 and EP-A-184,966 and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,801,572 and 3,888,815.

The adhesion promoter employed may be the silanes D employed in the case of the single-component bases and silanes bearing a morpholino group (EP-A-184,966) or an organic radical comprising a tertiary nitrogen atom (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,801,572 and 3,888,815).

The products of partial hydrolysis of the alkoxysilanes of formula (4), which are usually referred to as alkyl polysilicates, are well-known products which exhibit the property of dissolving in the usual hydrocarbon solvents such as toluene, xylene, cyclohexane and methylcyclohexane; the most widely used material is ethyl polysilicate 40® with a silica content of 40%, a value obtained after total hydrolysis of the ethoxy radicals.

The inorganic fillers (c) employed in the case of the single- and two-component bases are very finely divided materials whose mean particle diameter is below 0.1 micrometer. These fillers include pyrogenic silicas and precipitated silicas; their BET specific surface area is generally greater than 40 m² /g.

These fillers may also be in the form of more coarsely divided materials, with a mean particle diameter greater than 0.1 micrometer. Examples of such fillers which are representative are ground quartz, diatomaceous silicas, calcium carbonate, calcined clay, rutile-type titanium dioxide, iron, zinc, chromium, zirconium and magnesium oxides, the various forms of alumina (hydrated or otherwise), boron nitride, lithopone, barium metaborate, barium sulfate and ballotini; their specific surface area is generally below 30 m² /g.

These fillers may have been surface-modified by treatment with the various organosilicon compounds usually employed for this purpose. Thus, these organosilicon compounds may be organochlorosilanes, diorganocyclopolysiloxanes, hexaorganodisiloxanes, hexaorganodisilazanes or diorganocyclopolysilazanes (French Patents Nos. FR-A-1,126,884, FR-A-1,136,885 and FR-A-1,236,505, British Patent No. GB-A-1,024,234). In most cases, the treated fillers contain from 3 to 30% of their weight of organosilicon compounds.

The fillers may be a mixture of a number of types of fillers of different particle size distribution; thus, for example, they may comprise 30 to 70% of finely divided silicas with a BET specific surface area greater than 40 m² /g and of 70 to 30% of more coarsely divided silicas with a specific surface area below 30 m² /g.

The tin catalyst according to the invention is more particularly effective in the case of the single- and two-component silicone bases where the crosslinking agent (B) of formula (4) contains radicals Z which are identical or different, selected from among alkoxy and alkoxyalkyleneoxy radicals of formulae R₇ O and R₇ OTO in which R₇ is a C₁ -C₄ alkyl radical and T denotes a C₂ -C₄ alkylene group.

In addition, in the case where the silicone base has two components, it is possible to use the product of partial hydrolysis of the crosslinking agent (B).

These ingredients include organosilicon compounds, chiefly polymers, which are capable of affecting the physical characteristics of the compositions according to the invention (formed by mixing the bases with the tin catalyst) and/or the mechanical properties of the silicone elastomers obtained using these compositions.

These compounds are well known; for example, they include:

(i) α, ω-bis(triorganosiloxy)diorganopolysiloxane polymers having a viscosity of at least 10 mPa.s at 25° C. in which the organic radicals bonded to the silicon atoms are methyl, vinyl and phenyl radicals, preferably at least 80% of the radicals are methyl radicals and not more than 3% are vinyl radicals; α,ω-bis(trimethylsiloxy)dimethylpolysiloxane oils having a viscosity of 10 mPa.s at 25° C., to 1,500 mPa.s at 25° C. are preferably employed;

(ii) liquid, branched methylpolysiloxane polymers containing from 0.1 to 8% of hydroxyl groups bonded to the silicon atoms, comprising (CH₃)₃ SiO₀.5, (CH₃)₂ SiO and CH₃ SiO₁.5 recurring units distributed such as to provide a (CH₃)₃ SiO₀.5 /(CH₃)₂ SiO ratio of 0.01 to 0.15 and a CH₃ SiO₁.5 /(CH₃)₂ SiO ratio of 0.1 to 1.5;

(iii) α,ω-di(hydroxy)dimethylpolysiloxane oils having a viscosity of 10 to 300 mPa.s at 25° C. and α,ω-di(hydroxy)methylphenylpolysiloxane oils having a viscosity of 200 to 5,000 mPa.s at 25° C.; and

(iv) diphenylsilanediol and 1,1,3,3,-tetramethyldisiloxanediol.

The above α,ω-bis(triorganosiloxy)diorganopolysiloxane polymers may be completely or partly replaced by organic compounds which are inert towards the various constituents of the bases and which are miscible at least with the diorganopolysiloxane polymers (A) or (A₁). Specific examples of such organic compounds are mineral oils, petroleum cuts and polyalkylbenzenes obtained by the alkylation of benzene with long-chain olefins, particularly olefins containing 12 carbon atoms obtained by propylene polymerization. Organic compounds of this type appear, for example, in French Patents Nos. FR-A-2,392,476 and FR-A-2,446,849.

Each of the above organosilicon compounds may be employed in a proportion of 1 to 150 parts, preferably 3 to 75 parts, per 100 parts of diorganopolysiloxanes (A) or (A₁).

Non-organosilicon ingredients may also be introduced, for example heat stabilizers. These compounds improve the heat resistance of the silicone elastomers. They may be carboxylic acid salts, rare-earth oxides and hydroxides, as well as from combustion titanium dioxide and various iron oxides. From 0.1 to 15 parts, preferably from 0.15 to 12 parts, of heat stabilizers are advantageously employed per 100 parts of the diorganopolysiloxanes (A) or (A₁).

In the case of the single-component compositions, to produce the compositions according to the invention it is necessary to employ apparatus which enables the various fundamental constituents, to which the above-mentioned adjuvants and additives are added if desired, to be intimately mixed in the absence of moisture, with and without application of heat.

All these ingredients may be charged into the apparatus in any order of addition. Thus, the diorganopolysiloxane polymers (A) or (A₁) and the fillers (C) can first be mixed, and the crosslinkers (B), the compounds (D) and the tin monochelate can then be added to resulting paste.

It is also possible to mix the polymers (A) or (A₁), the crosslinkers (B) and the compounds (D) and subsequently to add the fillers (C) and the tin monochelate. The mixtures may be heated during these operations to a temperature in the range 50°-180° C. at atmospheric pressure or at a reduced pressure in order to promote the elimination of volatile materials such as water and polymers of low molecular weight.

The compositions prepared in this manner may be employed as such or in the form of a dispersion in organic diluents. These diluents are preferably conventional commercial products selected from among:

(i) aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons, halogenated or otherwise, such as n-heptane, n-octane, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane, toluene, xylene, mesitylene, cumene, tetralin, decalin, perchloroethylene, trichloroethane, tetrachloroethane, chlorobenzene and orthodichlorobenzene;

(ii) aliphatic and cycloaliphatic ketones such as methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, cyclohexanone and isophorone; and

(iii) esters such as ethyl acetate, butyl acetate and ethylglycol acetate.

The quantities of diluents introduced must be sufficient to produce stable dispersions which spread easily on the substrates. These quantities depend essentially on the nature and on the viscosity of the initial organopolysiloxane compositions. They may consequently vary within wide proportions; nevertheless, formulation of dispersions containing from 15 to 85% by weight of diluents is recommended.

The single-component compositions according to the invention, which are used as such, that is to say, undiluted, or in the form of dispersions in diluents, are stable in storage in the absence of water and cure beginning at ambient temperature (after removal of the solvents in the case of dispersions) to form elastomers, in the presence of water.

After the compositions as such have been deposited onto solid substrates, in a moist atmosphere, it is found that a process of curing to elastomers takes place, proceeding from the outside towards the inside of the deposited mass. A surface skin forms first and then the crosslinking continues into the depth of the mass.

The complete formation of the skin, which manifests itself as a non-sticky surface feel, requires a period of time which can be in the range from 1 minute to 55 minutes; this time period depends on the relative humidity of the atmosphere surrounding the compositions and on the ease of crosslinking of the latter.

Furthermore, the cure throughout the deposited layers, which would be sufficient to allow the elastomers formed to be demolded and handled, requires a longer period of time. This period depends, in fact, not only on the factors mentioned above in the case of the formation of a non-sticky feel, but also on the thickness of the deposited layers, which thickness generally ranges from 0.5 mm to several centimeters. This longer period of time may range from 10 minutes to 20 hours.

The single-component compositions may be employed for many applications, such as sealing in the building industry, the assembly of a very wide variety of materials (metal, plastics, natural and synthetic rubbers, wood, cardboard, earthenware, brick, ceramic, glass, stone, concrete, masonry components), the insulation of electrical conductors, coating of electronic circuits, and the production of molds used for the manufacture of shaped articles made of synthetic resins or foams.

The above-mentioned dispersions of these compositions in the diluents can be employed for thin-layer impregnation of inorganic, synthetic, organic, metallic, woven or non-woven products and articles, and coating of metal, plastic or cellulosic sheets. The deposition can be produced, for example, by dipping or by spraying; in the latter case, a spray gun is used which permits uniform coatings with a thickness of 5 to 300 μm to be obtained. After the dispersions have been sprayed, the diluents evaporate off and the compositions released cure to a rubbery film.

The production of two-component compositions according to the invention is also carried out by mixing the various constituents in suitable apparatus. To obtain homogeneous compositions it is preferable to mix the polymers (A) with the fillers (C) first; the combination may be heated for at least 30 minutes to a temperature above 80° C. such as to complete the wetting of the fillers by the oils. The other constituents, namely, the crosslinking agents (B), the organic tin derivative and, if desired, various additives and adjuvants, and even water, can be added to the mixture obtained, which is preferably heated to a temperature below 80° C., for example on the order of ambient temperature.

Such compositions are not stable in storage and must therefore be used quickly, for example within a time interval of 40 minutes.

The various additives and adjuvants are the same as those introduced into the single-component compositions. In particular, the α,ω-bis(triorganosiloxy)diorganopolysiloxane polymers having a viscosity of at least 10 mPa.s at 25° C., in which the organic radicals bonded to the silicon atoms are methyl, vinyl and phenyl radicals, are representative. α,ω-(Trimethylsiloxy)dimethylpolysiloxane oils having a viscosity of preferably 20 mPa.s at 25° C. to 1,000 mPa.s at 25° C., are generally employed in a proportion not exceeding 150 parts per 100 parts of polymer (A).

The introduction of water in a proportion not exceeding 1 part per 100 parts of polymers (A) is recommended to promote the curing of the two-component compositions which are employed in thick layers whose thickness is, for example, greater than 2 cm.

This water addition is unnecessary if the fillers (C) contain enough of it. To facilitate its incorporation, water is preferably added in the form of a dispersion in a paste comprising, for example, the above-mentioned α,ω-bis(triorganosiloxy)diorganopolysiloxane oils and the fillers (C).

For packaging and storage, the two-component compositions cannot, therefore, contain all the fundamental constituents, namely, the polymers (A), the crosslinker (B), the fillers (C) and the tin catalyst (E). On an industrial scale, they must be formulated in the form of two components, each being stable in storage.

A first, storage-stable, component may, for example, comprise the constituents (A), (B) and (C); it is preferably prepared by introducing the crosslinking agents (B) into the homogeneous mixture produced by compounding the polymers (A) with the fillers (C).

The second component then comprises the tin catalyst.

Other ways of presenting the two-component compositions may be selected; for example, a first component containing the polymers (A) and the fillers (C) and a second component containing the crosslinking agents (B) and the tin catalyst.

In many applications it is preferable that each of the two components be sufficiently fluid such as to easily form compositions whose viscosity ranges, for example, from 10,000 to 800,000 mPa.s at 25° C.

These compositions, which remain sufficiently fluid for at least 40 minutes, preferably for at least 80 minutes, after the mixing of the two components, can be employed more especially for the manufacture of silicone elastomer molds. They may, however, be employed for other applications such as coating electronic equipment and coating metallic surfaces or textile or cellulosic substances.

The molds which are manufactured are intended to reproduce articles made of cellular or non-cellular materials formed from organic polymers. Among such materials, exemplary are polyurethanes, polyesters, polyamides and polyvinyl chloride. The use of these molds for the reproduction of polyurethane articles is, however, recommended, since they withstand quite well attack by constituents of the mixtures used to produce polyurethanes (in particular polyisocyanates).

The introduction of the tin catalyst according to the invention, at least partly comprising the tin monochelate, makes it possible to attain the best conditions of use in the case of the single- and two-component compositions. It makes it possible to subsequently produce elastomers having stable properties upon use thereof and which are independent of the age and of the storage conditions of the compositions.

In order to further illustrate the present invention and the advantages thereof, the following specific examples are given, it being understood that same are intended only as illustrative and in nowise limitative.

EXAMPLE 1

1 mole of a di-n-octyltin bischelate in which the chelating ligand was 1-benzoyl-4-methyl-2-pentanone, and one mole of 2-ethylhexanoic acid, were introduced under a nitrogen atmosphere into a 1-liter three-necked round-bottomed flask fitted with a central stirrer, a condenser and a thermometer. Stirring was continued for one hour at 50° C.

The reaction mixture obtained was analyzed in the absence of atmospheric moisture using ¹¹⁹ Sn NMR.

The results obtained are reported in Table I below, where t denotes the reaction temperature.

EXAMPLES 2 to 4

The operating procedure of Example 1 was repeated, except that the reactants and/or the quantities introduced, and the reaction temperature, were changed.

The results obtained are reported in Table I below.

The reaction may be expressed schematically as follows: ##STR5## with a and b representing the molar quantities which were introduced, of R₁ R₂ SnC₂ and of XH.

XH1 is 2-ethylhexanoic acid

XH2 is lauric acid

The columns PR1, PR2, PR3 and PR4 report the mol % calculated in gram-atoms of tin metal for the products present in the reaction mixture:

PR1: R1 R2 Sn CX

PR2: R1 R2 Sn X2

PR3: R1 R2 Sn C2

PR4: X R1 R2 SnO Sn R1 R2 X

                  TABLE I                                                          ______________________________________                                         Ex-                                                                            ample R1 and R2 a     XH   b   t   PR1  PR2  PR3  PR4                          ______________________________________                                         1     n-octyl   1     XH1  1   50  45.6 22.8 22.8 7.0                          2     n-octyl   1     XH1  2   50  31.4 68.6 0    0                            3     n-octyl   1     XH1  3   50  17.6 82.4 0    0                            4     n-octyl   1     XH2  1   80  55.4 15.7 19.3 4.8                          ______________________________________                                    

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 5 and EXAMPLES 6 to 8

A composition P₁ was prepared by mixing:

(i) 100 parts of an α,ω-dihydroxydimethylpolysiloxane oil having a viscosity of 10,000 mPa.s at 25° C.;

(ii) 70 parts of an α,ω-bis(trimethylsiloxy)dimethylpolysiloxane oil having a viscosity of 800 mPa.s at 25° C.;

(iii) 55 parts of a pyrogenic silica having a specific surface area of 300 m² /g, treated with hexamethyldisilazane;

(iv) 50 parts of ground quartz having a mean particle diameter of 5 micrometers; and

(v) 10 parts of a paste made up of 90 parts of the above-mentioned α,ω-dihydroxydimethylpolysiloxane oil, having a viscosity of 10,000 mPa.s at 25° C., 5 parts of a pyrogenic silica having a specific surface area of 150 m² /g and 5 parts of water.

The composition P₁ was catalyzed with a cross-linking system containing the catalysts (C) forming the subject of Examples 1 to 3, and partially hydrolyzed ethyl silicate.

The composition P₁ was catalyzed by mixing 100 parts of this composition with two parts of the crosslinking system containing 17.5 by weight and 82.5% by weight of partially hydrolyzed ethyl silicate. This crosslinking system catalyst (C) was employed as such, freshly prepared (Δt=0) or after having been subjected to aging at 70° C. for a period Δt of 72, 148 and 336 hours.

The spreading time (st) of the catalyzed composition was then determined by noting the time for which this composition remained in a sufficiently fluid state to spread under its own weight and thus to adopt the configuration of the internal volume of the receptacles into which it was poured.

The test employed for assessing the spreadability was as follows:

The freshly catalyzed composition (15 grams) was poured into an aluminum capsule of cylindrical shape with a diameter of 4 cm; after a time not exceeding 5 minutes its surface must be perfectly horizontal.

The catalyzed composition was converted into a silicone elastomer after several hours at ambient temperature; 24 hours after the preparation of this catalyzed composition, the Shore A hardness of the elastomer formed was measured. The results relating to the spreading time (st) in minutes and the Shore A hardness values (SAH) are reported in Table II below.

The catalyst in the comparative example was the bischelate of formula R₂ Sn(C)₂ with R=n-octyl and C denotes: ##STR6## whose CH precursor was 1-benzoyl-4-methyl-2-pentanone.

The results are reported in Table II below, where C example n (c ex n) shows that the tin catalyst employed was that obtained in Example n.

It was found that the catalysts according to the invention, in contrast to the control catalyst, endow the silicone elastomer with satisfactory hardness and spreading time values even after prolonged aging of the crosslinking system.

                  TABLE II                                                         ______________________________________                                         EXAMPLE                                                                               5           6         7       8                                         CATALYST                                                                       CONTROL        C ex 1    C ex 2    C ex 3                                      st         SAH     st     SAH  st   SAH  st   SAH                              ______________________________________                                             0      140     5     100  12    95  8     70  6                            Δt                                                                           72     145     3     110  15   125  10   120  7                                168    180     1     140  10   150  4    135  0                                336    450     1     277  11   280  8    280  4                            ______________________________________                                    

While the invention has been described in terms of various preferred embodiments, the skilled artisan will appreciate that various modifications, substitutions, omissions, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of the present invention be limited solely by the scope of the following claims, including equivalents thereof. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An organopolysiloxane composition of matter curable into elastomeric state, comprising (1) a curable organopolysiloxane base which is an organopolysiloxane polymer and a crosslinking agent therefor, and (2) a catalytically effective amount of the product of reaction between (a) a diorganotin bischelate of the formula: ##STR7## in which: the symbols R₁ and R₂, which may be identical or different, are each an optionally substituted, monovalent C₁ -C₁₈ hydrocarbon radical;the symbols R₃ and R₅, which may be identical or different, are each one of the radicals R₁ or R₂, a hydrogen atom, C₁ -C₅ alkoxy radical or an Si(R₁)₃ silyl radical; and the symbol R₄ is a hydrogen atom, or an optionally halogenated C₁ -C₈ hydrocarbon radical, with the proviso that R₄ and R₅ may together form, with the carbon atoms from which they depend, a divalent C₅ -C₁₂ cyclic hydrocarbon radical, or an optionally substituted such cyclic radical bearing at least one chloro, nitro and/or cyano substituent, with (b) an organic acid of the formula:

    XH                                                         (2)

in which X is a radical of the formula R₆ COO wherein R₆ has the same definition as R₁, in a molar ratio (1)/(2) ranging from 0.01 to 100 said product of reaction being a monochelate of pentacoordinated tin of valency IV.
 2. The organopolysiloxane as defined by claim 1, said molar ratio ranging from 0.5 to
 3. 3. The organopolysiloxane composition as defined by claim 1 wherein said curable organopolysiloxane base comprises:(A) 100 parts by weight of an α,ω-dihydroxypolydiorganosiloxane polymer having a viscosity of 500 to 1,000,000 mPa.s at 25° C. and which comprises recurring units of the formula (R₂)SiO where the symbols R, which may be identical or different, are hydrocarbon radicals containing from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, optionally substituted by at least one halogen atom or cyano radical; (B) 0.5 to 20 parts by weight of an organosilicon compound crosslinking agent containing more than two hydrolyzable groups bonded to silicon atoms, per molecule; (C) 0 to 250 parts by weight of inorganic filler material; and (D) 0 to 20 parts by weight of an adhesion promoter.
 4. The organopolysiloxane composition as defined by claim 3, comprising a silane crosslinking agent B of the formula:

    R.sub.a Si(Z).sub.4-a                                      ( 4)

in which R is a hydrocarbon radical containing from 1 to 10 carbon atoms and Z is N-substituted amino, N-substituted amido, N,N-disubstituted aminoxy, ketiminoxy, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyleneoxy, enoxy or acyloxy, and a is 0 or
 1. 5. The organopolysiloxane composition as defined by claim 1, formulated in single-component form.
 6. The organopolysiloxane composition as defined by claim 1, formulated in two-component form. 